Mystery at Drake University
by Claudia Johnson
Summary: A Trixie Belden spin-off. Takes place while majority of cast is in college. Summary: Linnie, Barbara, Bob, and Ned share an apartment and a mystery.
1. Chapter One

_Standard Disclaimers Apply_

_Author's Note: These guys were just too good to be left as supporting "cast" only!_

_Oh, I'm sorry with all the liberties I took with Des Moines and Drake campus. Just overlook it ok? I was too lazy to check things out properly. :P_

**Mystery at Drake University**

**a Trixie Belden spin-off**

**by Claudia**

**Chapter One**

_Don't worry. Barbara, Bob and Ned are great; you'll love them! And Des Moines is a great place_.

Trixie's words still echoed in her mind as she stood outside the train station unconsciously clutching her guitar case, looking around, and trying to absorb everything. It wasn't her first time in Des Moines but somehow this felt different. The previous times it hadn't felt so... permanent. She knew she would go back home, to her mountains, to her quiet life in the Ozarks. But now... Everything was going to be different.

For a split second, she considered going back into the station and purchasing a return ticket, but deep inside she knew she would never do it. She wanted this chance. She really wanted it and no one ever called Linnie Moore a coward.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the luggage cart away from the station's entrance and from all the people going in and out. As soon as she walked a few yards, she spotted the familiar grey Sedan belonging to Andrew Belden, a man she had learned to consider as family; more like an uncle than an employer.

Linnie couldn't help the wave of relief that flooded her heart when she saw him standing by the car, smiling and waving at her. She still wasn't used to big crowds. Being a small town girl, born and raised in the open spaces, big cities weren't very familiar to her. But she knew the big city was the only place with enough room to accommodate all of her dreams.

"Linnie! It's so nice to see you!" The older man walked up to the brown-haired girl and gave her a big hug. "So, how was your trip?"

"Hi, Mr Belden. It was long!" Linnie smiled and her brown eyes lit with warmth, as she picked up her bags from the cart and put them in the car trunk.

"I told you it would be! But your parents wouldn't even hear of me paying for the plane ticket," Andrew Belden said sighing as he got behind the wheel. "And didn't I tell you a thousand times before to call me Uncle Andrew?"

Linnie chuckled. "All right, Uncle Andrew! But it wasn't just my parents who wouldn't hear of it. I was the first to say no. You're doing enough for me as it is!"

Smiling tenderly at the young woman he had seen grow up, Andrew patted her hand and said, "Nothing I can do will ever be enough, Linnie. You and your parents are like family to me. You are just as dear to me as Trixie and the rest of the Sleepyside gang. And if I can help you accomplish your dreams, well then, there is nothing I won't do. Besides, what did I do? I just lent you some money to live on until you can find a job."

"And I will pay back every cent!" Linnie added, in a tone that left no space for an argument. "And you found me a place to stay, a place I could actually afford. You went through a lot of trouble for me."

Andrew started the car and shook his head. "Linnie, you've been working hard in my house back in the Ozarks ever since you were a child, just as hard as your mother and father. This was the least I could do. Besides, Barbara and the others were looking for a roommate, so this turned out to be perfect for everyone."

The mention of the people she would be living with made her shiver. She heard a lot about them but she had never met them. All she knew was that Barbara and Bob Hubbell were twins and that they had been Uncle Belden's neighbours for many years. They were one year older than she was, but they would all be freshmen at Drake University, since Linnie had managed to skip a grade in high school. Since travelling back and forth from Happy Valley everyday would be tiresome and expensive, they had decided to rent an apartment just outside campus, which they would share with Ned Schulz, who would be graduating from Drake that same year. That was about all she knew. But if Andrew Belden liked them and trusted them enough to have her sharing an apartment with them, that was enough for her. And Trixie seemed to like them a lot, too. She had been thrilled to hear about her coming to Drake University, and the letters she had received from Andrew Belden's niece, a very dear old friend, had been full of praise regarding the Hubbells and Ned.

Not that her parents had been thrilled to have her sharing an apartment with two strange boys. But Mr. Schulz and Mr. Hubbell had called her parents personally and reassured them about the boys' good conduct. She grinned as she remembered. Then another thought crept into her head. _God, they must really think I'm a real hillbilly!_ _Nowadays, a lot of girls have boys for roommates!_

Uncle Andrew must have guessed what was going through her mind, because he reached out and squeezed her hand, reassuringly. "Don't worry, Linnie. They'll love you! I know Trixie and Barbara have talked and Trixie spoke very highly of you. And even if she hadn't, one look at that honest, beautiful face of yours and they'll all know what's in your heart."

Linnie blushed at the compliment but replied, "I don't know if that's much of an advantage, Uncle Andrew. Des Moines is nothing like the Ozarks. Sometimes I feel I'm too naive to adjust quickly to a big city. I don't think I'll fit in!"

"Oh, nonsense!" Andrew dismissed her words with a gesture. "You'll win them with your smile and your talent. Once they listen to your singing and playing, you'll have them eating right out of your hand."

She laughed. "Oh, yeah, right! Drake is tough competition, you know! It's got one of the best musical programs in the country and I will have to work hard if I want to prove myself worthy!"

"Well, you did win a scholarship, didn't you? And you are one of the youngest people ever to get it! I think they know what you're worth."

Linnie sank in the car seat and sighed. She really hoped everything would turn out all right.

* * *

When Andrew Belden stopped the car in front of large red brick building, Linnie's jaw dropped. Was this it? Was this beautiful turn of the century, four story building to be her home from now on? And how on Earth were they able to afford living in a place like this?

"It looks great, doesn't it?" Andrew grinned as he got out of the car.

Linnie followed him to the back of the car, where he was already taking out her luggage from the trunk. "Uncle Andrew, you're kidding, right? This can't be it... It looks too... grand!" Linnie looked again at the building, with its large white-framed windows and the polished oak and stained glass front door.

He chuckled. "Yeah, it does look expensive, doesn't it?" he said, as he picked up the largest bag and walked over to the stone steps leading to the building's door.

"Yes!" Linnie picked up the rest of her luggage and followed him, expecting an explanation.

Staring at her in amusement, Andrew let out a big laugh. "Don't you worry, Linnie. I didn't trick you when I told you how much the rent was nor am I paying for a part of your share."

"Then the guy who owns this place must be totally insane! He could make a fortune out of it!" For her total bewilderment, Andrew laughed yet again, as he pressed one of the buzzers in the second floor row.

"Yes, he probably is. Or he may have decided that rents were already too high in this town and he should give the students an opportunity of living in a nice place without having to worry about having money left to eat after paying the rent."

Then Lizzie understood. "You're the landlord, aren't you?" But she only got a mischievous smile for an answer as a female voice came through the intercom.

"Yes?"

"Barbara, honey, it's Andrew Belden."

"Hey, I'm glad you came," the girl said, sounding pleased. "Come on up! Or do you need a hand with the bags?"

"No, we've got it!"

The two of them entered the building and, once more, Linnie gazed in awe at the fine wood paneled walls and the polished wooden floor. To her right there was a door with a sign, that read "Laundry room" and to her left there was an arch leading into a large common room, furnished with comfortable sofas and chairs and a dining table. In front of them, was the staircase.

"Here is what the people around here call the common room, or study room," Andrew said, pointing at the room on her left. "I thought it would be nice for everyone to have a nice place to get to know their neighbors."

"But what's the story with this place, anyway?" Linnie asked as they started their way up on the staircase.

"Well, a few years back this building was practically and really run down. Every time I passed it by I thought it was a real shame. Then one day I heard of this program the city authorities and Drake University were developing, to recover old buildings and turn them into affordable places for young people to live. I gave them a call and they told me this place was on their list, only the owners weren't interested in investing in it. I then called the owners and they were willing to sell it amazingly cheap. So, I decided to have a go in Real Estate, bought it, and joined the program. There were tax benefits and subsidies from the Government to help with the recovery. I'm not that insane, you see!"

Linnie shook her head, in disbelief. "But why didn't you tell me the truth to start with?"

"Because I know just how stubborn and proud you are and you would think this was charity. It's not, believe me!"

By then they had reached the second floor and Linnie spotted the open door at the end of the corridor. As far as she could tell there were 4 apartments per floor, which, considering the size of the building, would make them comfortably spacious. The flutter in her stomach wouldn't let her notice every detail. She was very nervous about this and was dreading the moment they reached the apartment where she was supposed to be living for the next four years.

The moment finally came and Linnie found herself literally on the threshold of her new life. And despite her fear and nervousness she liked what she saw. The door opened directly into a large and comfortable room set up to be both the living room and dining room, with a small kitchen area off to the right, separated from the room by a breakfast island. Off to the left, Linnie noticed a corridor, which undoubtedly led to the bedrooms and bathroom. The walls were painted in a light, soft shade of yellow and the furnishings seemed to have been chosen more for utility and comfort purposes than for style. Still, the whole ensemble lent the room a nice, cozy feeling and Linnie felt deep inside she would like living there.

"Hi!" Linnie turned to see a brown-haired girl about her age rushing out one of the rooms. _This must be Barbara_, she thought.

"I was wondering where you were," Andrew Belden said, as he gave the girl a hearty hug.

"Oh, the boys are still moving in and I was just making sure their room is at least presentable," Barbara smiled and then turned her attention to Linnie. "You must be Linnie. I'm Barbara Hubbell. I'm very happy to have you here. It's hard for a girl to put up with two boys, all by herself."

Linnie returned the smile, immediately liking the simplicity and friendliness of the other girl's address.

"Hi, Barbara. I'm really glad to meet you too," she said as she shook Barbara's hand.

"Well, I guess you're in good hands now and so I can leave you two to get better acquainted," Andrew said, as he wrapped an arm around Linnie shoulders. "If you need anything just call me up, ok?" Linnie nodded, with half a smile. "But I'm sure this gang here will take very good care of you."

"Oh, we will, Uncle Andrew," Barbara replied, replacing Andrew Belden's arm with her own around the other girl's shoulders. "I'm sure Linnie will feel right at home in no time."

* * *

After saying their goodbyes to Andrew, Barbara decided to take Linnie for a tour of the apartment. There wasn't that much to see, but still Linnie was curious as to what the place where she would be spending the next four years of her life looked like.

"You know, we were pretty lucky to get this apartment," Barbara said. "Since Uncle Andrew started leasing apartments two years ago it's been full to capacity. However, this one vacated this year and the University gives priority to students on scholarships, so we got it, since both you and me and Ned have them."

"Ned is the one that plays basketball, right?"

"Yeah, he's the Bulldog's pride and joy! And I'm a Music major too, just like you."

"Yes, Uncle Andrew told me. And your brother, Bob, is majoring in Marketing, right?"

Barbara chuckled. "Bob is still a bit undecided. First, he wanted to be a musician, then he decided he would go into Agronomy, and now he finally went into Marketing. Oh well," she concluded, with a dismissive gesture, "I guess he's smart enough to do whatever he wants! He's the brain in the family! At least he thinks he is..."

Linnie grinned, as the girl's remark sounded very familiar. "I remember Trixie saying something about how close Mart and Bob were!"

This time, Barbara laughed out loud. "Oh, yeah! If you know Mart that well, you'll know what I'm talking about!"

"Well, I haven't seen him in a long while, but from what Trixie tells me in her letters he hasn't changed that much."

"I know what you mean. I haven't seen those guys in a long time... I really miss them!"

"Me too! The days they spent over at the Ozarks were some of the best in my life," Linnie's eyes glimmered, as she recalled. "You know, if it wasn't for Trixie and the others maybe my father wouldn't have returned home and got his memory back." As the words left her lips, Linnie blushed. It wasn't like her to share such intimate details of her life with someone who was little more than a complete stranger.

Barbara apparently noticed her discomfort and didn't press her to go on. She liked Linnie and something inside her told her they would soon be close friends. Instead, she showed her into the bedroom they would be sharing.

"And here, my friend, is the place where we'll be talking nonsense... and boys," Barbara giggled, "until dawn."

As Linnie entered the room, a smile spread over her lips and lit her pretty brown eyes. After a lifetime used to sleep and study in her tiny room, this was a welcome surprise. No matter how much she loved her cozy log cabin in the mountains in her dreams she had imagined one day she would have a colourful, spacious room, exactly like this. The fact that she would be sharing it with Barbara didn't really matter.

Twin white iron beds were set side by side, against the room's back wall. Linnie smiled as she noticed Barbara's bed was covered with a patchwork quilt, much like the one still in her bag. _Maybe we're not that different after all_, she thought, finding the idea quite comforting.

Barbara sat cross-legged on the bed, hugging a well-worn teddy bear. "I hope you don't mind I took this bed," she said, a little note of concern in her voice.

"No, of course not. I like sleeping by the window. I always did at home..."

"I really hope you won't miss home too much... I understand how hard it must be for you. I get to go home every weekend and I still miss it." Barbara came to sit by Linnie on her bed and held one of her hands in her own. " You can always spend weekends with us, if you don't want to be here all by yourself."

Linnie smiled, honestly moved by Barbara's words. "That's all right, Barbara. I might do that once in a while, and I might also go to Uncle Andrew's now and then, but I'll have to use the weekends to keep up with my schoolwork. You know I have to find a job to be able to provide for myself. I don't want to depend on Uncle Andrew or my parents."

Barbara nodded, already quite taken by the other girl. She seemed to be the kind of person Barbara admired: feisty, determined and honest. The "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" kind of person. No deceptions, no mask, no pretending. Just Linnie Moore.

"Well," Barbara said, trying to divert the conversation onto less serious subjects "I hope you like the decor." She pointed at the dresser and the vanity table. "The boys did a great job with those. Andrew Belden gave them to us, along with some other stuff and Bob and Ned restored them."

"They look great! And the wall closet is enormous!" Linnie said, as she opened it. Half of it was already occupied by Barbara's things.

The other girl laughed. "Yeah! I picked us this room just because of that! There's never too much closet space when girls are concerned."

Linnie blushed. "I don't have many clothes, really. In fact I'll have to buy some things."

"No worries!" Barbara said, matter-of-factly. "You can always borrow some of my things and I'll show you to some pretty nice stores... inexpensive ones, of course!" She winked. "I know them all!"

"That will be great, thanks."

"Anyway, I haven't hanged any pictures on the walls yet or anything, because you might bring some stuff with you and it will be fun to that together."

Linnie smiled. Barbara seemed to be just as nice as Trixie had described her and she already felt welcomed and almost at home.

"Why don't we leave the unpacking until later and I'll show you the rest of the apartment?"

"Ok," Linnie agreed as she followed her roommate on to the next stop.

"This is the bathroom," Barbara announced, opening the door at the end of the corridor. It wasn't big, but like everything else seemed well taken care off and tasteful. The tiles were plain white, with a single blue border at shoulder height. The room was also very clean and tidy.

"You guys must have gone through a lot of trouble with this before I came," Linnie said, in an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to come sooner! But I promise I cook for you for as long as you want!"

"Uncle Andrew Belden did tell us about that particular skill of yours," Barbara grinned. "And I'm sure the boys will be more than ready to take up on that offer, so you better not say that twice! I'm not the best of cooks and I'm lazy, so I guess they're tired of macaroni and cheese, which is what I do when it's my turn to cook."

"But I mean it. I owe it to you!"

"We'll see about that later. Now let's take a peak at the boys room. Let me just check to make sure it's presentable. I refuse to clean up their room! They're slobs!" Barbara giggled as she opened the door and peaked inside. "Ok, you can come in. No foul smells coming from under the beds."

Linnie went in and looked around. The room was similar to the one she would be sharing with Barbara, even if the closet was a wee bit smaller. But the decor was very masculine. There were posters of cars and rock bands hanging on the walls and over one of the beds was a large Bulldogs poster. _That must be Ned's bed_, she thought.

"Hey, look!" Barbara picked up a picture frame from the desk by the door. "I bet you know these guys."

Smiling, Linnie recognized all of the Bob-Whites, with Barbara and two other boys. The picture had been taken a few years back; probably around the time Linnie had last seen the Sleepysiders too.

"That was taken two summers ago, when we went to Sleepyside. That guy making faces behind Dan is my dear twin brother, Bob and the hunk standing next to Jim is Ned."

Linnie eyes gazed over the picture, each one of the faces bringing sweet memories to her, until she met Ned Schultz's brown eyes staring back at her. The sudden stirring in the pit of her stomach startled her. Bob Hubbel was certainly good looking, a lot like Brian Belden. But there was something different about Ned. His features were stronger and there was a determined look about him that made it difficult for her to take her eyes away from him. The feeling disturbed her profoundly. Linnie had always been a down-to-earth kind of girl, and had never let her be carried away by flights of fancy about boys. Or anything else, for that matter.

But this time she was sure her heart had skipped a beat. _It's just a picture, girl. What's wrong with you?_ she thought, totally bewildered at her own reaction, as she set the frame back on the desk and prayed Barbara wouldn't notice her trembling hands.

But Barbara had already picked up another picture and was grimacing at it.

"God, I still don't know how this happened," she mumbled, as if she was just thinking out loud.

"Excuse me?"

Barbara looked up, seemingly startled and then smiled, when she realized she had voiced her thoughts.

"Oh, I was just wondering what Ned sees in her," Barbara showed the picture to Linnie. It was of a blonde, beautiful girl, with sapphire blue eyes and an altogether look of sensuality and confidence, standing in an ice ring clad in a sparkling ice skating outfit.

Being a fan of the sport, Linnie recognized her immediately. "That's Dot Murray, isn't she?"

Barbara grinned and nodded. "Yep. She a Drake student too and Ned's girlfriend."

"Oh," Linnie stared at the picture. She had admired Dot for years, following her picture perfect skating career on TV and magazines until a terrible fall during the National Championships about 4 years back had cut it short. And now her boyfriend was her roommate? This was just too weird!

"Well," she said, after a while. "I guess I can imagine what he sees in her. She's beautiful and she's into sports, too. She would have been National Champion, I'm sure!"

The other girl sighed. "Yes, I know. And I have to admit she is beautiful and she was an incredible skater. But with Dot it's really a case of not judging a book by its cover. I've known her since elementary school and she was always a spoiled little brat. And her sudden stardom didn't help."

"Maybe she just never learned to deal with success," Linnie offered.

Barbara chuckled a little bitterly. "Well, I don't know. And I hate to speak ill of her, being Ned's girlfriend and all, but I don't like her. I tried but I can't."

"Maybe she's changed. Or maybe she's just unable too show her true self to other people!"

Barbara made a face and set the picture back on the nightstand. "Linnie, if Dot Murray ever shows you her true self, just run for cover. That's a friendly advice. Or you might just ask Trixie what she thinks about Dot." There was a sly smile on Barbara's face as she left the room.

* * *

"That's that!" Linnie exclaimed, as she pushed the last of her now empty bags under the bed. She threw herself on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Everything was now unpacked and properly stored with Barbara's help. They had left the decoration of the room for later, since Barbara had to run some errands in town.

Too tired to go with her newfound friend, Linnie decided to take the time to get acquainted with her new home properly. But right now she was feeling too exhausted to get up. The long journey and the pressure of the last few days were making it felt in every muscle. And in the complete silence of the apartment Linnie felt her eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

She had no idea of how long she had been sleeping or if she had ever fallen at sleep at all, but a strange noise made her eyes pop open. She had to shake her head and sit up to realize where she was, and recognized the noise of the front door opening.

_Barbara must be back_, she thought as she got up and straightened her somewhat crumpled clothes. As she opened the room door, she nearly bumped into a tall, dark haired young man, holding up his fist as if he was about to knock on the door.

It took her only a second to recognize him. Ned Schultz hadn't changed much in the couple of years that had passed since the picture had been taken.

"Hi," he said, looking a bit puzzled. "I thought Barb was in there."

"She went out," Linnie answered, cursing her everlasting tendency to blush. "Its only me here."

Ned's eyes widened, as he appeared to finally figure out who she was. "Oh, you must be Linnie, right? The girl from the mountains?" The young man said it with a smile, but the words struck at Linnie's pride.

"Yes, I'm Linnie Moore, from Missouri," she said as she coldly shook his hand.

He blushed, finally realizing how she had interpreted his words. "I'm sorry, I didn't intend to... I didn't mean it like that. I'm Ned Schulz."

Linnie returned a faint smile, his thoughtless words still ringing in her hears. Somewhere inside her a voice was telling her to pay it no mind, that she was from the mountains and proud of it. But another voice, a little louder than the other one was telling her deepest fears had been true all along. She would be regarded as the hillbilly amongst them.

Ned felt the awkward silence that fell upon them had been his fault. It wasn't difficult to understand what was going through her head. But he had never been very good with words anyway, and he was afraid any kind of explanation would make matters even worse. Instead he chose to try to divert the subject. But somehow he couldn't find anything to say.

She lifted her eyes to meet his and he suddenly felt breathless. There was such depth and feeling in those golden brown eyes, as he had never seen before-certainly not in Dot's. The remembrance of his girlfriend woke him from his reveries and he realized he was still staring at Linnie.

"Something wrong?" She asked, folding her arms, in a challenging pose.

He tried not to smile. "No, no! I was thinking... I have this annoying way of always getting my foot in my mouth. Listen, why don't we just start over?"

Linnie sighed, and swallowed her hurt pride. Maybe he was being honest and didn't mean it like that. After all, she was pretty touchy. With a smile she shook the hand he was holding out to her, again. "Fine. Pleased to meet you."

"So, how do you like the place so far?" he asked, trying to ease things between them.

"Very much." Linnie followed him into the living room. "It's nice to know I'll be living with people that share both my interests and old friends."

He nodded. "Yeah, any friend of Trixie's and the others is a friend of mine." Ned threw himself on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table. "You know, I had a crush on Trixie when we met. Of course, it lasted for about 5 minutes, until Jim started throwing murdering looks at me."

Linnie laughed. "Yes, I recall those looks. And I also remember the way he looked after he rescued her from drowning in a cave once. I hope they'll get together soon. Everyone knows they will sooner or later, except those two."

"What about you? How did your boyfriend take your moving here?" Ned tried to sound nonchalant, but his stomach ached strangely while he waited for her answer.

The girl looked at him, surprised. She wasn't much used to sharing her personal life with people, much less with some guy she hardly knew. But after a few moments she reckoned he was just trying to make small talk, so she decided to answer. "I don't have a boyfriend."

"Oh," was all Ned could muster. _Get a grip_, _man_, he thought, _What's it to you, anyway? You do HAVE a girlfriend remember?_

"I'm sure that will change soon enough," he finally said, with a smile.

"I'm not here to find a boyfriend," Linnie declared, again folding her arms across her chest, in a gesture he was starting to recognize as a sign of displeasure. "I'm here to study. Hard."

"Ok, ok! Have it your way. But I can safely say that you'll have at least five or six guys drooling over you, before the end of the semester." _What a stupid thing to say!_ Ned cursed himself for saying that. What was happening to him? Why had he suddenly turned into a babbling fool?

She sighed and walked over to the window, not really knowing if she should answer. She was not going to have this kind of conversation with him. What did it matter to him she had a boyfriend or not? She wasn't going to tell him she had never even been kissed, much less had a boyfriend. _Not exactly for lack of opportunities_, she sighed. She had her share of "suitors" in the last couple of years, but one does not earn a scholarship to one of the best musical college programs in the country, skip a year of high school, and become valedictorian of her graduating class by spending time dating and hanging around with boyfriends- especially when you had to work hard to help your parents and go to school miles away from home. But Ned wouldn't understand and she was not ready to tell him. He would feel sorry for her and Linnie hated it when people pitied her for her hard life. She was very proud of how her life had turned out. Besides, she still believed in true love, love that lasts for a lifetime, like her parents had. That's what she wanted for herself.

As it turned out, Linnie never even got the chance to answer him or comment on his statement. A sudden commotion in the hallway startled them both.

"What on Earth..." Ned started as he darted towards the door. Linnie followed him, curious to what was happening. As they reached the hallway, they almost bumped into Barbara and her brother, Bob, who were standing right outside the door.

"What's the matter?" Ned asked, trying to look past the small crowd that had gathered next door.

Bob shrugged. "Nothing much. Probably just a practical joke. Rachel, that girl that lives next door, just got some nasty mail."

"What do you mean, nasty mail?"

"Some menacing anonymous letter or something," Bob retorted.

Linnie's eyebrows shot up. "And you think that's nothing much? Shouldn't the police be informed?" she asked, trying to peek over Ned's shoulder.

Bob turned at the sound of the unfamiliar voice and smiled. "Hey, I'm sorry! We haven't even been properly introduced. I'm Bob Hubbell," he said, reaching out to shake her hand.

Linnie smiled back. "I'm Linnie. Pleased to meet you. But like I said, isn't this serious?"

Bob shrugged dismissively. "Nah, probably some frat prank, that's all."

"I hope you're right. This is kind of spooky."

Barbara looked at Linnie and nodded. "Yeah, from what I've heard spooky's the word. The letter was written in red ink. Rachel thought it was blood!"

"But what did it say?" Ned asked, leaning against the doorframe, furrowing his brow.

"You better ask your girlfriend," Bob answered. "She's coming over."

His sarcastic tone didn't escape Linnie. Apparently Dot wasn't much liked by either of the Hubbell twins. Standing on tiptoes, she looked over Bob's shoulder and caught a glimpse of the tall and slender girl walking towards them. Linnie had to admit she was picture perfect, with her long golden hair and sky blue eyes. But there was something amiss. Something Linnie couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Hi, guys! Have you heard? Isn't this awful?" she said, as she reached the group and automatically draped her arm around Ned's waist. Linnie noticed he shifted uncomfortably and hid a smile, when Dot glanced at him with a frown.

"Yeah, it's pretty nasty! But it's probably just some frat prank!" Bob gestured dismissively towards the apartment where a small crowd still gathered. "You know they're always coming up with new stuff."

Dot shook her head and her long hair glimmered under the hall lights, making Linnie suddenly very self conscious of her own short brown hair. "I'm not that sure, Bob. The letter was pretty menacing. It referred to some specific stuff Rachel is supposed to have done, like slighting people and making fun of them. It said that if she kept on doing it, she would pay dearly."

"Well, who ever did it knew Rachel all right!" was Barbara's snickering comment.

Dot's eyes darted hatred at the girl. "Rachel is my friend, don't you forget!"

"As if I could..." Barbara muttered as she rolled her eyes and entered the apartment.

Only then did Dot notice the presence of a stranger. Her demeanor quickly turned from angry and flustered to sweet as honey, when she saw Linnie standing behind Bob. "Well, hello there!" she said, with a smile. "You must be Lena!"

"That's Linnie. Linnie Moore," the girl corrected her, as she stared up at her piercing blue eyes. Dot was about a head taller, almost as tall as Ned himself, and that somehow made Linnie feel very uncomfortable.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Dot said, as she held out her hand. Linnie took it and shook it, noticing how soft her skin felt, compared to her own. "Well, I hope you enjoy it here. It must be quite a thrill after the mountains!"

Linnie was about to respond, when Ned surprised her by saying, "The Ozarks are not the end of the world, you know. You'd be surprised with how much nicer life can be over there." He stared into Linnie's eyes when he spoke, and the young woman had to look away, suddenly unable to sustain his gaze.

Dot's cheeks grew red and her eyes turned to ice while Bob smiled, apparently amused with Ned's response to his girlfriend's merciless comments. "I'm sure it is," Dot said, softly, while she perused Linnie's face. The girl felt run through by her gaze and quickly excused herself into the apartment once more. It didn't take long for Ned and Bob to enter themselves. But, by then, Linnie had hid in her room, pretending to still be unpacking.

"Quite a handful, isn't she?" Barbara said, as she entered the room.

Linnie glanced her way and smiled. She wished she knew herself why Dot had disturbed her that much, and wasn't about to disclose her feelings to Barbara.

"She must have qualities," she said, as she folded a sweatshirt.

"People have been looking but there's no record of any being found," Barbara threw herself on her bed and chuckled at her own joke.

Linnie couldn't help to giggle herself. "C'mon, Barbara. She can't be all that bad."

"Believe me, I've known her all my life. And there was a time I thought she would grow out of it. But, unfortunately, Dot still is the same spoiled, obnoxious, self centered, selfish, sly little brat she's always been."

Something in Barbara's voice made Linnie turn and stare at her for moment. "It may not be my place to ask, Barbara," she asked softly, "But has she ever done anything to hurt you? I mean, we've hardly known each other but you don't seem to be the kind of person to harbour such resentment without reason."

Barbara sighed and stared at the ceiling. "You're right, I'm not. Let's just say she has hurt someone I like very much. And that I can't forgive."

"Was it...Ned?" Somehow Linnie dreaded the response. Could it be that Barbara had some feelings towards the basketball player?

Barbara turned to Linnie with a knowing smile. There was a playful glint in her eyes when she answered. "Well, she has hurt him, but Ned can fend for himself. It was someone else. I'll tell you about it one of these days..." she then lowered her voice and gestured towards the door. "When the guys are out!"

Linnie smiled back and nodded, going back to unpacking.

"And in case you're wondering, Ned is just like another brother to me. I do not have a crush on him!" Barbara said, slowly. She amusedly noticed the way Linnie avoided her eyes and the way she blushed.

"I didn't mean other wise," she said meekly.

Barbara chuckled again and got up. "Come on, let's get dinner ready. I'm starving!"


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

The first few weeks at Drake proved to be quite uneventful to Linnie, when compared to the day she had arrived. She was becoming acquainted with her new roommates and she and Barbara had grown pretty close. Of the three, Ned was the one she knew less intimately. Somehow those first few moments with him had made her somewhat uneasy towards him. She hardly knew why and the thought bothered her, but she didn't feel comfortable around him. She also wasn't especially keen on confronting Dot once more, so she tried to keep out of his way.

But Ned seemed to keep trying to win her friendship and that made her resolve harder to maintain and her efforts in avoiding him quite apparent, which seemed to amuse both Barbara and Bob and get Ned in quite a sour mood.

Nevertheless, Linnie would always describe her first days at Drake as being some of the happiest in her life. It was a new life, a new, if scary, world. But Linnie was everything but a coward and she intended to face all the hardships ahead with her head held up high. Where her resolve in keeping out of Dot Murray's way fell within that plan, she hardly knew, but she tried not to think about it much.

Classes were like a dream come true, and Linnie leapt head first into schoolwork. She was determined to give her best and be worthy of the scholarship she had so painstakingly earned. Although she kept herself on a pretty tight schedule, Linnie still found time for a little fun, mainly due to Barbara's efforts in overcoming her new friend's shy and reserved nature. The Hubbell twins had decided to introduce Linnie into their circle of friends and managed to drag her out of the house at least two or three nights a week. Though they were also freshmen they knew a lot of people at the University, some of which were freshmen like themselves and had been their high school friends, and others they had met through Ned. Regardless of being literally the new kid in town, Linnie was welcomed into their social circle, as her quiet and friendly nature easily made its way into people's hearts.

After managing to find her spot within the campus daily routine, Linnie's next step was to find a job. She knew she had to find something that would be compatible with her studies, but she also wanted to do something that she liked. Chances were she would end up waiting tables, but at least she wanted to try to find some other kind of occupation. In the end, it was Barbara herself who gave her hope when she told her one of her friends owned a bookstore and apparently they were looking for someone to help them. Linnie jumped at the chance and the next day she found herself outside Saunder's Books.

The bookstore was barely a mile away from campus, in a nice, traditional neighborhood. The building itself was only two stories high, and from what Barbara had told her the owners lived upstairs.

Taking a deep breath, Linnie pushed the door open and walked inside. The store was quite large and well lit by the enormous front window and although all the furniture had the appearance of having been there for decades, it was well taken care of and polished till it shone. There were ceiling to floor bookcases, filled with colourful books neatly arranged by author and subject. There were a few tables and armchairs, where one could sit and read at will.

Linnie liked the place immediately. She'd always liked bookstores and this one had a special feel to it. Whoever had planned it was obviously a book lover himself.

"May I help you?" said a female voice, startling her. Linnie turned abruptly to meet a young blonde woman, wearing a somewhat old fashioned flowery dress.

"Oh... yes! I'm Linnie Moore. I'm here to meet Margaret Saunders," Linnie said, a bit embarrassed to have been caught in her surveying of the place.

The older girl smiled and held out her hand. "I am Margaret," she said, shaking Linnie's hand. "Welcome to Saunder's Books."

Linnie smiled back and took the opportunity to observe the young woman a little more closely. She guessed Margaret should be in her late twenties. Her curly dark blonde hairs hung lose, framing her slim, pale face and she had bags under her grayish blue eyes. Still, her smile seemed genuine and friendly.

"So, you know my brother, Joey?" Margaret asked as she led Linnie to one of the available tables.

"No, not really," Linnie said, seating across the table from Margaret. "A friend of mine, Barbara, knows him and she was the one who told me you were looking for someone to help around here."

Margaret's smile faded for a moment. "Barbara? I don't remember Joey mentioning her," Margaret spoke in such a low tone of voice that Linnie wondered if she wasn't merely thinking out loud.

"I think they must have met through Ned Schultz."

"Oh," this time there was an expression of recognition in Margaret's face and her smile returned. "Yes, Ned has been Joey's friend for quite some time. He's a nice guy."

Linnie merely nodded, anxiety building up.

"And you're looking for a job? What's your major?" Margaret asked.

"Music. Music teaching that is. I have a full scholarship, but I need a job. You see, my parents don't have much money and I don't want to be a burden."

The other woman nodded, with an appreciative smile. "I understand. Well, I'm not paying much but I guess it's more than you'd get waiting tables. There will be a lot straightening out to do, especially on Mondays, because this place fills up on Saturday mornings. Since my brother helps me out on the weekends I will only need you here on weekdays. We can work out the hours you'll be here according to your schedule at the university."

"That sounds great."

"You do read, I expect?" Margaret chuckled. "The boy I employed last year only read comic books and his knowledge of literature was appalling! Or I should say his lack of."

Linnie's smile widened. If there was one thing she loved as much as music, it was books. "Yes, I love to read. Thankfully, we had a nice library at school, so that made up for the lack of bookstores."

"Well, I guess that's it then. If you're a friend of Ned's I don't think I need any more references." Margaret got up. "Can you start tomorrow?"

"Yes, of course!" Linnie's heart skipped a beat.

"So, I'll see you then." Shaking her hand once more, Margaret saw Linnie to the door. I'm sure you'll like working here."

Linnie nodded. "I'm sure I will."

The feedback sound startled Ned from his reverie and he suddenly noticed the song had ended. He really hadn't heard a word of it, but he put on his best approving smile because he knew there would be hell to pay if she noticed his mind was miles away. Dot jumped off the stage assembled at one of the University's sports pavilions and ran to her boyfriend with a smile on her angelic face.

"So, how did you like it?" she asked, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Great! It sounded great," he answered, forcing a smile.

Dot pressed her body seductively against his and whispered, "Don't I deserve a reward?"

Ned swallowed hard. Dot was the kind of girl who knew how to get what she wanted. And it made him mad to admit it, but he had never been able to resist her.

She smiled knowingly and pressed her mouth against his. He kissed her back, but with little emotion.

She pulled away from him, frowning. "What's wrong, Ned?"

"Nothing," he looked away from her, knowing very well Dot could see right through him. I'm just tired I guess."

She folded her arms across her chest. "I know you, Ned. Something is wrong. What is it? Didn't you like the new songs?"

"Christ, Dot! The world doesn't revolve around your songs, you know?" he snapped, before he could stop himself. But lately Dot egocentric ways were getting on his nerves.

Dot widened her blue eyes, surprised at his reaction. Ned had always been calm and collected and she had never seen him lose his cool. He had been kind of jumpy lately, but he had never used that tone of voice with her. And she wouldn't put up with it.

"I will not have you talking to me like that, Ned. Especially not in front of the band," she hissed, her eyes cold as ice. "If you have a problem, you sort it out. You do not take it out on me." With a toss of her blonde hair, Dot walked away from him and rejoined the band on the stage. Looking back at him defiantly, she approached the bass player and ran her fingers through his hair. The young man blushed and smiled at her, with adoring eyes.

The other band members, however, rolled their eyes and went back to tuning their instruments. They had known Dot long enough not to enter her little games. The bass player however hadn't been with them that long and was completely crazy about Dot.

Ned sighed, watching the scene. He knew Dot's solution to their relationship problems had always been to make him jealous. That had never failed to make him reconsider his doubts or to apologize whenever he dared to criticize her. The thing was he wasn't jealous anymore- or afraid to lose her. He was tired of playing games. He was tired of his friends wondering why on Earth they were still together. And for some time now he had been wondering precisely the same thing.

_My problem is you, Dot_, he finally said to himself.

When Linnie got back to the apartment later that afternoon none of the others seemed to be back yet. She sighed, happy to have the house all to herself for a while. It was fun to live in a place full of other young people, but sometimes she missed the solitude of her house in the Ozarks. This was one of those times. She felt like she needed a little time to herself.

When she wanted to reflect she picked up her guitar and sat cross-legged on the sofa, looking out the window, and drifting away with her thoughts as her fingers made the instrument sing. And, almost unknowingly, she started to sing too, her crystal clear voice filling the empty apartment with its pure tones.

Singing had always come as natural as breathing to Linnie. She couldn't remember a time when singing wasn't a part of her life. For someone as shy and reserved as herself, music had always been a form of expressing her feelings and that was clear to anyone who listened to her. She played and sang with her heart.

And that was what Ned realized as she watched her. He had been in his room all the time, needing to be alone for a while himself, so he hadn't revealed his presence when he heard the door.

When he heard the guitar, he had thought it was either Barbara or Bob. Somehow he had forgotten Linnie played too. But now he wouldn't be able to forget it ever again- not after hearing her sing. Chills went up and down his spine and he leaned against the wall, drinking in her sweet pure voice and her image, totally abandoned, her eyes closed as she raised her voice. He would never remember what the song was about and it didn't matter. He was mesmerized and he wished the moment wouldn't end. But he knew he was trespassing on something terribly private and that soon Linnie would open her eyes and see him there. And she would probably hate him for not making his presence known. So, taking a deep breath, Ned entered the living room, whilst clearing his throat.

Linnie was startled and stopped playing immediately, her eyes shooting open.

"Oh," she stuttered as she put the guitar down beside her. "I thought no one was home."

Ned felt his ears burn and he hoped he wouldn't blush. "I was... I mean, I was taking a nap and I didn't hear you come in."

"I must have woken you up, then. I'm sorry."

He smiled and sat down on the coffee table in front of her. "That's ok. I wish I would wake up to that every day."

This time, it was Linnie's turn to blush. She lowered her eyes, torn between the impulse to walk away from him and her natural tendency to be friendly.

"I didn't even know you sang," Ned went on, encouraged by her silence. He didn't know why Linnie kept avoiding him, but he desperately wanted to change that.

"I don't even remember a time when I did not," she replied, finally looking up at him and smiling.

He returned the smile. "You have a beautiful voice," he stated. "You should apply for the Drake Chorus. You're good enough to be a soloist."

Linnie's eyes widened. "Me? Sing in public? I don't think so!"

Ned chuckled. "What? Do you suffer from stage fright?"

She shrugged her shoulders, suddenly very at ease with him. "I never enjoyed having people staring at me. I guess that's why I decided to teach, instead of playing professionally."

"You're very talented, Linnie. You're truly gifted and you should share that." Linnie sighed, realizing he wasn't going to give up on trying to convince her. So she decided to compromise.

"Thanks, Ned. I promise to think about that chorus thing, ok?"

"Ok, then," Ned held out his hand to her, and after a few split seconds she took it and shook it.

"Does this mean we're friends now?" Ned asked, not letting go of her hand, with a slight note of pleading in his voice.

"Weren't we before?" Linnie averted his eyes once more, feeling embarrassed. She knew an explanation was to follow and she really didn't know what to say.

"Why did you keep on avoiding me then? You always seemed to feel embarrassed around me. At first I thought it was just shyness, but then I noticed you seemed to feel pretty comfortable around Bob and Barbara. Did I do something wrong? I mean, I know I wasn't exactly tactful in our first meeting, but I didn't mean it..."

"No, Ned, it's ok! Really!" Linnie didn't let him go on. "I was just a little touchy then. And..." She got up, not being able to hold his gaze from such a short distance.

"The way Dot acted didn't help, did it?" It was merely a rhetorical question, and Linnie was aware of that.

She turned to him once more, now with a comfortable distance between them. "I must admit she scared me a little. So I just tried to get out of her way. Maybe it was silly of me, but..." she didn't go on.

Ned sighed and ran his fingers through his light brown wavy hair. "She can be pretty threatening, that's true. And she was very rude. I actually warned her not to do it again. Sometimes I guess she thinks she can get away with anything just because she's pretty."

Linnie got a little scared with the course of the conversation. It was becoming a little too intimate for comfort.

"I know Barbara and Bob don't like her," He chuckled, and Linnie thought there was a little bitterness in his laughter. "I really can't blame them, but I wished... I wished everyone would get along."

"Well, I promise I'll try to become her friend. I'm sure she's a wonderful girl," Linnie said, trying to sound sure of what she was saying. "She must be or you wouldn't be together, right?"

Ned looked up at her, a somewhat startled expression on his face. He stared at her for a few moments without answering and then he gave her half a smile. "Yeah, sure," he said. Then he got up and took a deep breath. Just like Linnie, he had suddenly realized the conversation had taken an unexpectedly intimate course. And he wasn't ready to share that part of his life with her. Not yet. So he broke the uncomfortable silence by saying, "So, I guess you'll be going to the Freshmen Welcoming Party tonight?"

Linnie shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. Barbara and Bob have been trying to convince me to go, but I think I should stay at home instead. I mean, tomorrow I start working and I'll have to rearrange my schedule, so I should..."

"Should, should, should!" Ned interrupted her, with an amused grin on his face. "You should stop making up excuses not to have fun! You're going and that's that!"

"Says who?" Linnie frowned, trying to pretend she was angry, but failing miserably.

He pulled a loose strand of her golden brown hair, playfully.

"I do!" Then he seemed to think of something and he looked away for a moment as if gathering courage to say it out loud. Finally, he looked back at her, a strange look in his greyish eyes. "Besides," he said, "The Drakes will be playing tonight and Dot is their lead singer. Maybe it will be a good opportunity for you two to get to know each other."

Linnie swallowed hard before she answered. Somehow his veiled pleading made her stomach turn. But after a few seconds she managed to say, "Sure! I'm sure it will."

To her surprise he reached out and gently caressed her cheek. She felt all the blood rush to her cheeks and shivered at his touch, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Thanks, Linnie. That means a lot to me."

The sound of a key on the lock saved Linnie from an answer she knew she wouldn't be able to utter. Bob and Barbara entered the apartment, followed by a young blond man Linnie didn't know.

"Hi, guys!" Bob threw himself on the couch and look from Linnie to Ned with an amused expression dancing in his light brown eyes. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Ned said, dismissively. Then he turned to the other young man, who seemed to be a little at a loss as to what to do next, and said, smiling, "Hey, Joey, nice to see you here, finally!"

Joey smiled and his eyes sparkled through the glasses he wore. "Barbara is to blame! She dragged me here!"

"Yes, drag really is the word! It took me hours to convince him to come," Barbara exchanged looks with Joey and Linnie thought she had seen some kind of spark between them.

"Ah," Bob retorted, "But you haven't said the reason why Joey finally agreed to come, which was because we promised Linnie would do the cooking. You will, won't you, sweetie?" Bob asked, batting his eyes at her.

Linnie laughed wholeheartedly. "I will, under the condition that someone introduces me to our guest," she said, folding her arms across her chest.

Barbara slapped her forehead. "Oh, bollocks! I forgot you guys hadn't met yet! I'm so sorry. Joey, this is Linnie Moore. Linnie, this is Joey Saunders."

The boy's name suddenly made Linnie realize who their dinner guest was. Joey was Margaret's brother, the one who had told Barbara about the job opening at the bookshop in the first place. "Saunders?" She asked, shaking the hand he had held out to her. "So you're Margaret's brother?"

He smiled and Linnie thought that despite his shy and awkward ways he was actually attractive.

"Yes, I am."

"That makes you my boss then," Linnie stated, smiling back.

"Really? That's wonderful news!" Barbara gave Linnie a bear hug, nearly choking her.

"I'm glad you got the job. I hope you'll be happy there. My sister can be a little... demanding," Joey said, blushing at his own words and nervously pushing his glasses back to their place.

"Well, actually we got along just fine, once I told her I was Ned's friend," Linnie glanced inadvertently at Ned and was rewarded with a surprised smile.

"Margaret is very particular about my friends, but she believes Ned to be a nice guy," Joey said.

Bob laughed. "Yeah, that's Ned. I don't know why, but women always seem to find him a very nice guy!" the sarcastic comment cost Bob a pillow on the face from Ned. Barbara's twin merely laughed again and threw the pillow back at his friend.

"Cut that out, guys," Barbara ordered, snatching the pillow away from Ned when he was about to turn that into a pillow fight. "Linnie, please tell us what you want us to do."

"No, that's ok. You guys stay here and I'll help Linnie out in the kitchen," Ned said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Bob was about to comment, an ironic grin already spreading across his features, when Barbara interrupted him by hitting him with the pillow once more. That gave Ned the opportunity to grab Linnie's hand and pull her into the kitchen area, before she could protest.

Linnie kept quiet all through the meal. She was still confused about her earlier conversation with Ned and couldn't really concentrate on any of the conversations the others were having. Well, that Barbara, Bob and Ned were having, because Joey seemed to be more of a listener than a talker. Linnie took the opportunity to watch him. He seemed like a nice young man and the few times he spoke were enough for her to realize he was quite intelligent and down to earth. And as far as Barbara was concerned, Linnie was almost sure her friend was in love. But somehow, though Joey seemed caring and sweet to her, Linnie didn't think the feeling was reciprocal.

"Hey, Earth calling Linnie," Ned said in her ear, startling her.

She smiled and felt all the blood rush to her cheeks, more from his proximity than for being caught at daydreaming. "Sorry, guys," she said, clearing her throat, and desperately trying to find something to say. "I was just... Uh... I was just wondering if there was any developments in the threatening letters case."

"I have no idea, but I don't think so," Bob said, leaning back on his chair. "I mean, everyone is pretty sure it was just some kind of prank."

"Well, if it was the prankster must have a real sick sense of humor," Joey said, lowering his eyes and blushing when everyone stared at him. "I mean, it's a pretty nasty thing to do, don't you think?"

"I couldn't agree more," was Barbara's eager response. Linnie couldn't hide a smile. Precisely at that moment, she and Ned crossed gazes and she realized he had noticed the girl's partiality too.

"I do too," Linnie said, trying to stop Bob from one of his comments, which she knew for sure would embarrass Barbara, "I mean, it's not exactly the funniest of jokes, especially since no one has come forward as the author. So, what's the fun in that? Besides I thought frat pranks were played on freshmen and Rachel is a senior."

Bob and Ned exchanged glances. They hadn't thought of that.

"You're right, Linnie," Barbara said, "So if it wasn't a frat prank, what was it? Whomever did it couldn't have meant it," her eyes widened, "Or could he?"

Bob reached out to squeeze his sister's hand reassuringly. "Of course not, sis. Someone decided to pull a fast one on her since she managed to get herself a fair share of "enemies' around campus."

"You can say that again," Joey murmured, probably not intending for anyone to hear. But since she was sitting next to him, Linnie heard and she stared at him, wondering what he meant. But he never noticed she was staring and didn't explain.

The party was already in full swing when they arrived. There was quite a large crowd dancing to The Drakes songs and Linnie couldn't possibly miss the blonde lead singer and her skintight black dress. In fact, no one could. Suddenly very aware of her own simple attire, Linnie smoothed her sky blue shirt with her hands, nervously.

"You look great," Barbara whispered in her ear. "Don't worry."

Linnie looked back at her friend to tell her she wasn't at all worried, but Barbara's smile told her she didn't have too. Barbara knew exactly what was on her mind, because she was probably feeling the same way.

"You look great too," Linnie said, squeezing her friend's hand.

"Anyway," Barbara remarked, "None of us has to worry anyway, because Dot made sure she would be the center of attention. I wouldn't be caught dead in a dress like that."

"But she does look great in it, you have to admit," Linnie said, smiling.

Barbara made a face and shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, yeah, she does. She would look great even if she wore a sack of potatoes! It's just the little green monster in me talking!"

Linnie giggled and shook her head.

"Yeah, she probably would."

"I guess that's why she's still the lead singer. It sure isn't because of her voice."

After a few moments of listening to the song, Linnie retorted, "She's not that bad. Maybe she just needs a little training."

"She's studied singing for years. That's as good as she can get. Rumor is they haven't chosen a new singer because Dot also writes the lyrics and she refuses to write if anyone else takes her place."

"Oh..." Linnie stared back at the stage. She understood why the rest of the band went along with Dot's demands. The lyrics were very good. Actually they were amazing, considering they were just amateurs. "She is a talented writer."

"That's what bugs me," Barbara leaned against the wall and sighed. "I've known her for years and I never knew of that hidden talent. She's always wanted to be famous. And I have to admit she was always a great skater and dancer and was a cheerleader and all. But writing... I never saw her reading, let alone write."

"She may have been a late bloomer. I mean she could have discovered she could write after the accident. Before that, with all the training she had to do, she probably didn't have the time."

Barbara made a face. "Yeah, I guess."

"So, are we going to dance or what?" Bob asked, coming up from behind them.

"Oh, I'm not going to dance with my own brother!" Barbara exclaimed. "Linnie, I guess you're stuck with him!"

Linnie smiled and said, "Well, I guess I can live with that!"

"So," Barbara turned to Joey. "Shall we?"

Joey seemed embarrassed and avoided her eyes.

"I really... I mean, I can't really dance."

There was an awkward silence within the group, and Barbara blushed to the root of her hair. Joey seemed to want the floor to open up and swallow him. Thankfully, Ned appeared and saved them from the embarrassing situation.

"Dance with me, Barb. Dot won't come down from the stage anytime soon, so I guess you're stuck with me!"

Barbara forced a smile and followed him to the dance floor.

"That was weird!" Linnie said as Bob led her to the dance floor himself.

"Yeah, but I guess Barbara is bound to hurt herself. Joey is a nice guy, but he doesn't seem to be very interested in anything but friendship."

"How long have you known him?"

"Oh, ever since Ned came to college, I guess. And Barbara's had a crush on him ever since then. She thinks I don't know, but there's not much about Barb I don't know," Bob grinned and winked at Linnie.

"Is Joey in love with someone else?"

Bob hesitated but then he said, "Well, don't tell Ned I said this, but I think he's in love with Dot."

Linnie was speechless. "Oh," was all she managed to utter.

He laughed at her expression. "It does get pretty complicated, doesn't it?"

"And Ned doesn't know anything about it?"

With a shrug of his shoulders, Bob made Linnie spin and then pulled her back into his arms with a dramatic dip. Chuckling at her surprised expression, he finally said, "Well, Joey is too good of a guy to ever try anything, while Ned and Dot are together. Besides, Dot treats him like dirt. But if you ask me," Bob's eyes sparkled with mischief, "I think Ned would love an opportunity to ditch her."

Linnie tried to ignore Bob's remark and concentrated on what he had said about Dot mistreating Joey. _It must be because of him Barbara dislikes Dot so_, she thought. She looked towards Barbara and Ned, who were dancing close by. The girl seemed to have gotten over Joey's less than graceful answer to her invitation and was having a good time dancing with Ned.

Joey, on the other hand, seemed sad and worried. He was still where they had left him and Linnie noticed his eyes were locked on Barbara too. She hoped she wasn't betraying her friend, but she felt sorry for him. In love with someone who didn't love him back, who happened to date one of his friends, and on top of it all to have someone else love him and not being able to reciprocate the feeling. She sure didn't envy him.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she never noticed Barbara and Ned's approach until she heard Barbara saying, "Come on, little brother, Ned here has stepped on my every toe! I need a break!"

So, suddenly, and without really knowing how, Linnie found herself in Ned's arms, just as the band started playing a slow song.

"Hi," he said, smiling as he looked down at her startled face. "I'm sorry to cut in, but I don't think Barbara and I are very good as dancing partners."

Linnie blushed. A glance at Barbara's amused expression told her hunch was right. That had all been an excuse to get her and Ned to dance together. _I hope Dot doesn't look this way_, she silently pleaded, _or I'm toast!_

Ned didn't hold her too close but still the feeling of his arms around her disturbed her more than she had ever thought it would. Apparently he was having trouble dealing with the situation too because he seemed unable to look her in the eyes.

_He's probably worrying about Dot too and what her reaction might be if she sees us_, Linnie thought.

As a matter of fact, Ned was thinking about Dot. Only he was thinking of how long it had been since he had felt this way when with her. Of how long it had been since the mere scent of her perfume made him dizzy or a simple look into her eyes left him unable to breathe. Had he ever felt like that? He didn't know. He couldn't remember.

They were both so concentrated in their thoughts they never noticed Dot had stepped off the stage and was walking towards them. "Am I interrupting?"

Ned and Linnie instinctively stepped away from each other, startled. Dot looked from one to the other, with a sarcastic grin on her beautiful face. Linnie felt like a bug under the microscope.

"You don't mind if I dance with my _boyfriend_ for a while, do you honey?" Dot said, stressing the words, as she wrapped an arm around Ned's waist. He didn't dare look in Linnie's eyes, though a part of him wanted to push Dot away and pull Linnie into his arms again. But he didn't want to make a scene and he knew Linnie would suffer from that action. Dot would make her life miserable, that much he knew. So he didn't say a word, though he felt like the most despicable coward in the world.

But Dot wasn't going to stop at this. Not happy with merely leaving Linnie standing alone in the middle of the dance floor, she said, loud enough for a lot of people to hear, "Oh, Ned, if you were trying to make me jealous, you could have chosen better. There are lots of pretty girls available you know?"

Linnie never heard Ned's response, if he ever gave any. She simply turned her back on the couple and walked away from the dance floor. She managed to keep a straight face until she reached the woman's restroom. Finding herself alone she broke down and cried.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Linnie regained her composure after a few minutes of self-indulgence. Then she wiped her tears and left the stall. She washed her reddened face and took a deep breath. _This is just accumulated stress_, she thought, _I won't let this get to me. Dot is just a conceited idiot and Ned..._ Strangely, Linnie couldn't find the words to voice her feelings for Ned's attitude on the dance floor. She couldn't bring herself to be mad at him nor could she stop the pain she felt every time she remembered the way he had avoided her eyes.

Precisely then, Barbara stormed into the restroom.

"Linnie, sweetie, are you ok? I never realized what had happened until Joey told me! That conceited good for nothing, fake, blonde! How dare she? And Ned! How could he? I'm going to let him have a piece of my mind as soon as I find him..." Barbara had to stop for air.

Linnie was so surprised by the other girl's outburst that she broke into a fit of laughter. Soon tears were once more streaming her face but this time they weren't sad tears. She was laughing so hard she had to lean against the counter.

"What's so funny?" Barbara asked frowning.

"You! Bursting in here like a raging bull! I'm sorry for the comparison, but you just... Oh, Barbara, I'm sorry!" Linnie wiped her tears and gave her friend a big hug. "You were worried about me and here I am laughing at you."

Barbara hugged her back. "Well, I rather have you laughing at me, than crying over those two idiots." Scrutinizing her friend's face, she said, "Though you have been crying, haven't you?"

Linnie didn't answer and merely stared at the ground for a few moments. Then sighing, she stated, "We all have right to have a break down once in a while. Knowing myself as I do, I'd say I won't have one for the next... oh, five or six years minimum!" Her pretty face lit with a beautiful smile as she held Barbara's hand. "Now let's get back to the party. I won't let Dot or anyone else ruin it for me." She hesitated and then with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, she asked, "Is she really a fake blonde?"

Barbara grinned widely. "Nah! But it just felt good to say it!"

Despite her apparent good mood, Linnie tried to remain inconspicuous for the rest of the evening. Barbara and Bob showed their solidarity by remaining with her and not mentioning the fact that they were almost hiding in a corner of the room, next to the stage. From that particular spot they had a privileged view of the improvised backstage area, and when the band made a break Linnie noticed Joey approaching the backstairs, apparently trying to remain unnoticed.

She thought it strange but didn't mention it to Barbara or Bob who had fallen into discussion about some movie they had seen recently. Still, for some reason, she kept watching Joey. By the time he reached the stairs, Dot was coming down. The young woman stopped when she saw him and then looked around. Linnie couldn't hear what they were saying but Dot didn't seem pleased to see him there. She pulled the young man to a secluded corner and Linnie could see by the expression on her face she was arguing with him. Joey had his back turned on her, but from his posture Linnie guessed he was the defeated part in the argument. _What on Earth could she be telling him?_ Linnie trembled at the thought. Whatever it was it surely wasn't nice. Could it be that Joey had overcome his fears of hurting Ned and had stepped forward to reveal his feelings? _No_, Linnie thought, _from what I see he barely had time to open his mouth. It's like... it's like she doesn't want to be seen with him! _

Deciding she was trespassing on Joey's privacy, Linnie decided to look away. It wasn't her business, anyway. She wasn't even supposed to know he liked Dot. Her heart then went out to Barbara. _It must be hard for her seeing him in love with someone who decidedly does not deserve him._

That train of thought soon led her to think that Dot probably didn't deserve Ned either. He had hurt her by not standing up to her on the dance floor, but Linnie didn't know how to hold a grudge. _Maybe it's about time you start to, _she told herself bitterly.

She sighed and looked around the room. After a while she saw Ned standing in a corner across the room. She could barely see him, in the dim lighting, but she was sure he was staring right at her. Their eyes met and she saw him straighten his back as if he intended to walk that way.

Linnie panicked and before he could make a move she grabbed her purse and said, "I... I'm tired. I think I'm going home. You guys just stay here, don't worry about me." She got up and practically ran off, cursing herself for being such a coward and leaving Barbara, Bob and Ned totally dumbstruck.

The next day Linnie got up very early. She still wasn't ready to face Ned, even if it was to listen to his explanations. So, she left the house while everyone was still sleeping and decided to have breakfast in one of the local cafeterias.

Seated in a booth near the back wall and next to the window, Linnie pressed her forehead against the glass as she absent-mindedly stirred her coffee. She had been taught to deal with life in a plain and simple way, with strong and deeply rooted values and always taking other people's feelings under consideration. And in the last few weeks she had to learn the hard way that most people acted differently.

She sighed. _Welcome to the real world, mountain girl_, she thought.

The campus was starting to wake up, on that chilly but sunny October morning. Students were starting to fill the cafeteria and Linnie could spot a few familiar faces. She recognized Rachel, their next-door neighbor, accompanied by another girl Linnie hadn't met yet. They sat in the next booth without even seeing her.

Linnie noticed Rachel looked troubled. She was pale and was always looking around, as if she was scared of something. "I don't know what to do," Linnie heard her say to her friend, "First it were those damned letters, now the ripped sweater. I'm scared!"

Linnie lowered her eyes; not wanting them to think she was eavesdropping but Rachel's tone of voice made it impossible for her not hear what they were saying.

"Take it easy," the other girl said, "This is probably just someone's sick idea of a joke."

"But the sweater was cut to shreds!" Rachel's voice was bordering on hysterical. "Who would bother breaking into my locker, and risk being caught, if they didn't mean it?"

Her friend didn't answer, and Linnie felt her heart thumping in her chest. From what she gathered the threats to Rachel had taken a more serious turn. _Ripped sweater? For Heaven's sake, what's going on?_ she wondered, with a shiver. Bob's theory of a simple prank was beginning to sound more and more unlikely.

"Listen," Rachel's friend said, slowly and in a lower tone, "I wasn't going to tell you this, but you're already freaking out, so I guess I will. You're not the first girl this has happened too. Last year two or three girls received the same kind of letters; they found dead birds on their hoods or doorsteps, and stuff like that. One of them even notified the police but they never paid it much mind. And they are still alive and well. Someone just hasn't enough of a life and is having fun by scaring you out of your wits!"

"Oh my God!" Rachel exclaimed. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Oh, Rachel just snap out of it! You have too many clothes anyway! And, speaking of not having a life, look who just came in!"

Linnie couldn't stop herself from looking at the doorway too, and she saw Joey, carrying a load of books and looking as out of place as he had at the party, the previous night. Her heart immediately went out to him, because she knew exactly how he felt.

"Oh, brother! Just what I needed! He better not even dream in seating with us!" Rachel stated. "I had enough of him this summer, only because he has this gorgeous friend, Mark. I dated him once or twice to see if he'd introduce us, but he was too thick to understand. God, he thought I had a crush on him!"

Rachel's friend giggled and Linnie wanted to pour the steaming coffee down their heads. How dared they? Reacting to her impulses, Linnie got up and waved at Joey, signaling him to come over and seat with her.

Rachel and her friend stared at her, not noticing until then she had been there all the time. Joey's face lit with an honest smile and he sat in front of her, greeting Rachel with a mere nod. "Good morning," he said, laying the pile of books by his side. "So, you're an early riser too, I see!"

Linnie smiled. "I always have been. Back home I had to my chores before I went to school, so I could do my homework in the evenings. And now I decided to take the early classes so I had more free time."

"I wish I was that organized," Joey chuckled. "I'm always losing track of time. There are times when I write all night long, and end up not sleeping at all."

"Oh, I didn't know you wrote."

Joey blushed and pushed his glasses back into place, in a gesture Linnie was starting to recognize as his particular reaction to embarrassment. "I do. I guess that's unavoidable when you grow up surrounded by books. I do some work for the college drama club, adapting scripts and stuff. It's not much but I guess I have to start somewhere."

"I heard Barbara say something about auditioning for the drama club the other day," Linnie said, suddenly understanding why Barbara had seemed so enthusiastic about the auditions.

The young man smiled and looked away for a moment. "Barbara is a wonderful girl and she's very talented," then he looked back at Linnie and his voice grew softer. "I wish her all the luck in the world."

Feeling a little uncomfortable with the subject, Linnie cleared her throat and asked, "So, does your sister write too?"

He shook his head and seemed a little sad. "No. Margaret is... was a very talented actress while she was in college, but then she dropped out and..." he took a deep breath. "You see, she never graduated from college. She was at NYU when my parents died and she had to come home to take care of the shop and me. We only have each other, and she gave up everything to take care of me. That's why she's so hard on me. She wants me to do my best. Sometimes, though, I think my best isn't good enough for her." Joey blushed when he noticed he had voiced that last thought.

"Oh, I'm sure she's proud of you," Linnie said, trying to lighten the mood. She hardly knew Margaret but she had really seemed quite demanding. "She sure sounded as if she loved you very much."

"Oh, she does. Of that I have no doubt," Joey said, as he gathered his books once more. "I'm sorry to have troubled you with all this, but some days I just feel... overwhelmed."

"It's no trouble at all," Linnie said, honestly.

"Good luck in the store today," the young man got up and smiled at her.

"Thanks, Joey."

As he turned to walk away, he seemed to hesitate. Finally he turned back to her and said, blushing slightly, "Tell Barbara I said hi and that I had fun last night."

Linnie's smile widened. "I will." After a split second hesitation she added, "I'm sure she'll be happy to know that."

Joey didn't answer and merely nodded. Then he walked away, leaving Linnie to wonder if the young man wasn't finally reevaluating his feelings.

Working at the bookstore was fun, but hard. There was a lot to memorize, difficult customers to handle and quite a demanding boss to deal with. Margaret was nice but she expected nothing less than perfection. Luckily, Linnie was used to hard work and was a perfectionist herself, so things were working well.

Barbara came around to see how things were doing and was very excited when Linnie gave her Joey's message. The girl's eyes lit up.

"You really like him, don't you?" Linnie asked, smiling at her friend.

Barbara blushed. "Yeah, I do. And it really hurts to see people treat him like some kind of geek just because he's shy and his idea of having fun is not partying all night and getting dead drunk."

"Well, then I guess I'm a geek too," Linnie shrugged and then she winked at Barbara. "That explains the looks I sometimes get!"

Barbara reached out over the counter and squeezed Linnie's hand. "These last days haven't been easy on you either, have they?"

Linnie squeezed her hand back. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. I never expected it to be easy, but I'm not going to sit down and feel sorry for myself." She took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her chestnut brown hair. "And, all things considered, I don't think I was ever so happy in my life. I'm thankful for every little blessing I get."

Her friend gazed at her admiringly. "I wish I looked at life the way you do. I guess sometimes I'm a little selfish and get a little mad at the world." Then she sighed. "You sound a lot like Ned's mother, you know. She deals with every difficulty with a smile."

Ned's mother had had polio as a child, and her mobility had been quite affected. She had been involved with support groups for years and had managed to raise her children, mind the house and do all the voluntary work she could get her hands on.

"You see, his mom, who was like a mother to me, used to tell me that God sends the greatest challenges to the most special people, because He knows they can deal with them." Linnie stated.

"That's quite a fairytale," said Margaret, startling them.

Both girls turned to her and Linnie felt strangely disturbed. "Hi, Margaret," she said, suddenly feeling like a child with her hand in the cookie jar. "This is my roommate, Barbara Hubbell."

Barbara smiled a little nervous herself, and held out her hand. "I'm pleased to meet you."

Margaret squinted her eyes and finally took Barbara's hand. "I believe you know my brother, don't you?"

"Yes... yes I do," Barbara stuttered, caught off guard.

"I hope you aren't like the others, who always try to get advantage of him," Margaret boldly said, looking down on Barbara.

The girl's eyes widened and Linnie frowned. "No, of course not, Margaret. We're good friends," Barbara rushed to say.

Margaret's countenance seemed to lighten up and she said, "Well, I'm glad," then she turned to Linnie and added bitterly, "Time will teach you God doesn't really pay much attention to us. I just hope the process isn't too painful for you."

The two girls watched as she walked away with their mouths hanging open.

"What was that about?" Barbara managed to say, after a few moments.

"Beats me," Linnie answered, still watching Margaret who was now with some customers. "I know her life wasn't easy and she had to give up a lot after her parents died, but I never imagined she was this bitter."

"She scared the hell out of me," Barbara shivered as she said the words. "But anyway," she said, looking back at Linnie, "will you join us at the Tavern later on?"

The Tavern was one of the local bars, mostly frequented by students. Barbara, Bob and Ned usually joined their friends there, two of three times a week, and Linnie had gone with them a few times.

But Linnie shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't, Barb, I'm sorry. I promised Margaret I would stay and help her with the inventory. It will be best to do it now, before school work starts to get harder to deal with."

Barbara made a face. "Yeah, sure... You just don't want to see Ned, admit it."

Linnie sighed. "Look, I really am staying late. I did promise her. But I also don't feel like facing him, or Dot just yet."

"But why? You should let him explain himself!"

"Explain what Barbara? I know exactly why he did it and I understand. He didn't want to get in trouble with his girlfriend. It hurt just the same, but I do understand."

"You do? Hell, I would have kicked his butt for that stunt!"

Linnie chuckled. "What good would that do? Look, I'm over it and if I let it hurt me, I'll just be playing Dot's game. If I don't let it get to me, it's like it never happened."

"Linnie Moore, you're my hero! Really, you are! I wish I could deal with things like that," but then she shook her head and added, "The thing is, I can't and I still want to kick his butt! Anyway, I've got to go. I'm auditioning for the drama club today," she blushed.

"Oh," Linnie winked at her. "Good luck then!"

"Thanks," Barbara picked up her coat and then lowering her voice she said, "And good luck for you too, with the Dragon Lady in there."

Linnie laughed and watched as her friend left. Then she sighed. And she wished her heart had heard all the sensible things she had told Barbara about Ned and Dot.

"That's the last of it," Linnie said, lowering a pile of books on the already crowded floor.

Margaret looked up from the computer screen and smiled at the girl. "Thanks, Linnie." Then she looked at her wristwatch and yawned. "It's terribly late. I'm sorry to have kept you here for such a long time. You must be exhausted."

"Not more than you are," Linnie answered as she looked at her own watch. It was past 11. "Still, now I know all the books we have here. It will be easier to find things."

"Yeah, you can call it shock treatment," Margaret smiled. "Go home, girl. You need to rest."

Linnie nodded. "But will you be alright with the rest of these?" she asked, a little concerned.

Margaret dismissed her worries with a gesture. "Sure, I'm used to doing this. And Joey has no classes in the morning, so he'll open the store for me. I can sleep late."

"Ok, then." Linnie picked up coat and reached for her bag, which she had left on the desk. As she did so, she knocked over a file sitting on it. A few of the papers inside fell out and as she crouched to pick them up, she noticed there were poems amongst them.

"I'm sorry, Margaret. I'm usually not this clumsy," she said as she handed over the file.

Margaret chuckled.

"It's easy to be clumsy in a cluttered office like this. Don't worry; this is Joey's. He's always leaving his writings about."

"He mentioned something about writing. He works for the drama club, right?"

The older girl nodded. "Yes, and he is quite talented. He's majoring in Journalism but I think he'll become a novelist sooner or later."

"Apparently he writes poetry too," Linnie said, pointing at the file. Then she saw another sheet of paper, lying under the chair and bent over to pick it up. As she did, she realized it was one of the poems. Unavoidably she read a few of the lines and she frowned. Those were strangely familiar.

"What is it?" Margaret asked, noticing Linnie's questioning look.

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have read it, but I couldn't help it," Linnie handed the poem to Margaret. "I have heard that before... last night actually. The Drakes were playing and I'm pretty sure that is the lyric of one of the songs they played. I had no idea Joey wrote for them."

Margaret paled a bit as she heard Linnie and stared blankly at the sheet of paper. "Neither had I," she whispered and seemed to slip into some kind of trance as she kept on gazing at the piece of paper. After a few moments of an awkward silence, Linnie decided it was best to go and leave Margaret with whatever thoughts she was having.

As she closed the bookstore door behind her, Linnie buttoned the coat up to her neck. It was getting quite cold and the thought of walking home alone at that late hour didn't please her. But it was only a few blocks anyway, so she was sure she would be all right.

But as she turned around she was startled by a figure leaning against a phone booth in front of the store.

"Hi," the person said.

Linnie's eyes widened and her heart started thumping wildly as she recognized the voice.

"Ned? What on Earth are you doing here?" she asked, hesitantly.

"That's pretty obvious, isn't it?" he gave her a crooked smile, but she could tell he was just as nervous as she was.

"Did you come to see Joey?" she asked, knowing very well he hadn't, but not really knowing what to say.

"Joey is at the Tavern with Barbara and Bob." He buried his hands in his pockets. Actually, I was there, too, and Joey was saying he was feeling a little guilty for not being here doing the inventory with you guys. And since it was getting late, I decided to come here and wait for you, so you wouldn't have to walk home alone."

"You didn't have too," Linnie said, having trouble facing him.

"After what I did last night, I should be groveling at your feet and not just walking you home."

There it was, out in the open. Linnie blushed and inhaled deeply. Suddenly she didn't want to talk about it. "Let's just forget about it, all right?" she said, starting to walk down the street.

He rushed to follow her, a little surprised at her reaction. "I want to apologize, Linnie. Leaving you standing there was just... But I know Dot, and I'm sure she would have made a scene. I felt awful and I tried to find you afterwards, but..."

She interrupted him. "Look, Ned, really, it's all right. I just don't want to talk about it. It really means nothing. It's just that I don't think I can fulfill my promise of becoming friends with Dot."

"I would never ask that of you now. And I did talk to her. Actually, I was really mad, so I don't think that qualifies as talking..."

She stopped him once more. "I'm sorry, Ned, but I don't need the details. That's your business- and Dot's. I just want to get on with my life and forget last night ever happened."

They walked in silence for a while. Finally, he said, "But it wasn't all bad was it? I was having fun, until Dot interrupted us."

Linnie thanked the heavens above it was dark, because she felt all the blood rush to her cheeks. "No, of course it wasn't all bad. I just used bad phrasing that's all." After a few moments, she managed to gather the courage to ask: "Dot doesn't know you're here, does she?"

He chuckled. "I don't think so, but then again I haven't talked to her all day, so I don't have a clue as to where she may be either."

Surprised at his answer, Linnie tried to think of something to say, but words seemed to elude her.

Encouraged by her silence, he went on: "I don't think this relationship of ours is going anywhere. Things are starting to escalate, she's being obnoxious to my friends and I hate it. I guess I've just lost all hope she would change."

"If you love her, maybe it's worth another go," Linnie said, softly, finally looking up at him.

He lowered his eyes for a moment and then said, slowly, "We've been together since our first year here at Drake's. We hardly knew anyone here, since most of our friends from high school went to other colleges. I guess that brought us together. She was also a little lost. It was a short time after her fall and she didn't know what to do next. So I guess we started by keeping each other company and we really had fun in the beginning. But then she started to change..." he shrugged, "Well, Barbara will tell you she was always like that. Maybe I was blinded by her looks or something, but I guess I just never noticed. But since she became the Drakes lead singer, last year, things have become more and more complicated."

_Oh, no, please don't go on_, she thought, _I really don't want to know this_. The last thing she wanted was to be forced to give advice or to be his confidant. On one hand, she really didn't want to be caught between Ned and Dot, on the other because she didn't feel like being a shoulder to cry on. Which, in Linnie's case, was really strange, since she had never minded it before.

"Besides," he concluded, "When all of your friends keep asking themselves why on Earth you're still together, you start asking yourself the same thing. And I guess I couldn't find an answer."

"Oh," was all she could utter. _What's wrong with me?_ she asked herself. But she couldn't find an answer either.

They walked in silence the rest of the way. Ned appeared to be deep in thought, his brow furrowed and his hands buried deep in his pockets and Linnie couldn't be more uncomfortable. Her natural tendency was to reach out and ask him to talk to her, to let it all out. But something inside of her told her she shouldn't do it. So being pretty confused herself, she decided the best thing was to keep her mouth shut, should she say anything that would embarrass her even further.

As they reached their building, the atmosphere seemed to lighten somehow. Ned looked down at her and smiled. "Guess you must be tired, hum?" he said, as he held the door for her.

"A little," she smiled back, still unable to meet his eyes.

"Hey, listen, the auditions for the choir start the day after tomorrow, at 6 p.m. Did you think about what we talked about yesterday?"

"Oh, I don't know. I love singing, but still..."

Ned pulled a strand of her hair, playfully. She was surprised by the intimacy of the gesture, especially after the awkward moments they had just been through, but didn't mention it.

"Come on, it's not like you'll be alone on stage. They might even let you hide behind the taller singers," he joked.

She made a face. "Yes, but I'll still have to sing alone at the audition. Well, I promise to think about it, all right?"

"Ok, then." As they reached the door to the apartment, Ned hesitated and then finally said, "Thank you, Linnie."

"What for?"

He reached out tentatively and held her hand. She felt his touch intensely, as if electrical current had suddenly ran through her entire body. "For forgiving me and for listening. I think I needed to say all those things out loud."

"Sometimes saying things out loud makes them even more real, more final."

He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb, slowly.

"I know. And that was exactly what I needed."

Chapters 1-3 edited by Susan

NOTE: I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank Alizea for the wonderful job she's done in editing this, especially because I know how busy she's been lately. Thanks, girl! :)


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

Next morning, Linnie and Barbara were just leaving their Music History class when they almost bumped into Joey, who was walking down the hall so lost in his thoughts he didn't even see them.

"Hi, stranger," Barbara greeted, amused at his absentmindedness.

Joey looked up, startled and his face lit up in a wide smile when he recognized them.

"Hi, guys! I'm sorry, I never even saw you," he said, walking back towards them.

"We noticed," Barbara giggled. "I would say a penny for your thoughts, but I don't think it would be enough..."

Joey blushed.

"Oh, it was nothing much really," then he turned to Linnie and said, "I'm really sorry for not helping you and Margaret last night, but she practically kicked me out of the house."

"That's all right. We managed," Linnie answered with a smile.

"Yeah, Margaret told me you left after 11. I hope you got home all right."

"I did. Actually, Ned walked me home," as soon as the words left her lips, Linnie cursed herself. She hadn't meant for anyone to know. She saw Barbara's eyes widening and said, before her friend could comment, "I don't know if your sister mentioned it but I accidentally knocked over one of your files. I hope I didn't crumple anything."

"Oh, it was probably nothing much anyway. I'm always scribbling something and I tend to leave things scattered around."

"Nothing much?" Linnie shook her head. "Well, I read a little of it when I was picking them up and they were some of the best poems I ever read. You're very talented."

The young man blushed even deeper.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

Remembering Margaret's strange reaction the previous night, Linnie let her curiosity take hold of her and found the courage to ask, trying to sound nonchalant, "I recognized the lyrics to one of the songs the Drakes played at the party. I didn't know you worked with them."

This time, Joey paled and suddenly the young man looked like a mouse caught in a trap. He looked around as if he feared someone would hear them. Barbara looked completely in awe.

"Did you...," he cleared his throat, and swallowed hard, looking honestly scared. "Did you happen to mention that to Margaret?"

Linnie didn't know what to think. She didn't expect him to react like this and was already sorry to have brought up the subject.

"Y-yes. Look, Joey, I'm sorry if it was wrong of me, but..."

"No," Joey interrupted her, smiling nervously. "That's all right. I just wouldn't like word to get out. I really don't like the limelight, you know."

"I'll keep my mouth shut then," Linnie said, trying to lighten things up.

Joey nodded and with a hurried goodbye, he walked away.

"Hey, I didn't get any of what just happened! Do you mind telling me what that was all about?" Barbara whispered.

Linnie looked at her friend, looking quite bewildered herself, and explained what had happened the previous night.

"Joey? Writing lyrics for the Drakes? But I always thought Dot was their lyricist!" Barbara said, as they walked towards their next class.

"That's what I'd heard too. But I guess he must have written a few songs."

"I suppose..." Barbara frowned. "But why did he look scared when you told him about Margaret knowing about it?"

"Well, she did scare you," Linnie mocked.

Her friend chuckled.

"Well, that she did! And I guess he must have his reasons. After all, they do live in the same house," Suddenly, Barbara stopped, remembering something. "Hey, that reminds me. What was that all about Ned walking you home? He left the Tavern saying he was going home to study. And that was around 9.30."

Linnie sighed. She had hoped Barbara had forgotten about Joey's comment, but apparently she wasn't off the hook.

"He was waiting for me, when I left the store," she finally said.

"You mean he waited over an hour, out in the cold?" Barbara asked, excitedly.

"Shh!" Linnie looked around to make sure no one had heard her friend. "I don't know where he was before, but at 11 o'clock he was there."

"Did he apologize?"

"Yeah, he did," Linnie hesitated but then said, needing to confide in someone too, "He also sort of said he was thinking of breaking up with Dot!"

"YES!" Barbara's shout echoed through the hall and they got more than a few surprised stares. But then the girl looked back at Linnie, her hands on her hips, and asked, "What do you mean, sort of?"

Linnie shrugged.

"He said he was tired of how things were doing, that he had given up trying to change her ways."

"So, you guys are becoming quite close, aren't you?" Barbara grabbed Linnie's arm and gave her friend a knowing look that made her turn red.

"No! He just needed to... I don't know, vent!"

Barbara smiled, mischievously.

"Yeah, and you just happened to bump into him right then!"

"Oh, just shut up! Anyway," Linnie said, in a desperate attempt to change the subject, "Aren't the results of the audition to the drama club supposed to be out this morning?"

"Oh, gosh!" Barbara suddenly paled and she seemed to forget their conversation. "I almost forgot! Will you look at the list for me? I don't think I can do it!"

"Sure, come on!"

There was a small crowd gathered around the notice board, outside the drama department. Linnie managed to squeeze through and she smiled widely when she saw Barbara's name near the top of the list of the approved.

"You're in, Barb!"

Barbara closed her eyes and let out her breath.

"Oh, God, thank you! I was so nervous!" she hugged Linnie tightly, almost choking her.

"Hey, you'll kill me! I'd like to see you acting before I die!" she joked, as Barbara let her go.

"Sorry! It's just that I'm so excited!"  
"Yeah, I can tell!" Linnie laughed. "And I guess Joey will be happy to know that too!"

"Oh, I wish..." Barbara stopped talking when she noticed Rachel, their neighbor, walking their way.

"So, you're in, hum?" the older girl said, as she blatantly observed both girls from head to toe. "I guess we'll be working together then. Good luck! Or as we say in the theater, break a leg!" Rachel said, with a superiority tone that even Linnie wasn't able to overlook.

"I wish you'd break them both," Barbara muttered.

"Barbara!" Linnie admonished, but unable to maintain a straight face. In a matter of seconds both girls were laughing out loud.

When Ned finally woke up, he found Bob already finishing his breakfast.

"Hey, I was about to check if you were still breathing!" Bob joked as he watched his friend fill a mug with steaming coffee.

Ned made a face.

"Rough night," he answered, his voice still hoarse from sleep.

Bob stared at him for a few moments without speaking. Ned finally noticed his gaze and asked, "What? Why are you staring at me?"

"She's getting to you, isn't she?" Bob finally asked, rocking the chair with his arms folded across his chest

"Who? What the hell are you talking about?"

With a sigh, Bob got up from the chair and joined him by the kitchen island.

"Linnie, that's who. Getting to know her is finally opening your eyes, isn't it?"

Ned's grey eyes met Bob's brown ones. He didn't know what to answer. The fact was that he had spent half the night wondering about that exact same thing. But knowing Bob, he knew there was no point in trying to deny it.

"I don't know if it's Linnie, or if things just piled up until I couldn't take it anymore," Ned finally admitted. "I almost can't bare the thought of being with Dot anymore. Everything she does or says gets on my nerves."

"Then why the hell do you insist on this poor excuse for a relationship?"

"I don't know! Maybe I just... maybe we've been together for such a long time that I'm scared of being alone again," he ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair.

"Or maybe you just hate the idea of failing at anything," Bob said slowly, watching his words sink in.

Ned nearly choked on the piece of toast he was having.

"What?"

Bob exhaled deeply and rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Ned! We've been best friends since, like, forever! I know you and you know me! And you know exactly what I mean!"

"No, I don't," Ned snapped, hitting the counter with his fist. He hardly ever lost his cool but he was reaching the end of his rope. "I don't know what the hell you mean, I don't know what the hell Dot expects of me, and I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do about Linnie! I'm sick and tired of people whispering about Dot behind my back, about my parents hating her..." Ned stopped for breath and groaned.

Bob had listened to his friend's outburst as coolly and calmly as if he had been expecting it all along. In fact, Bob had wanted to provoke him until his defenses broke. He knew how Ned choked up his emotions behind his cool and calm demeanor. And he also knew how he let his problems eat him up inside without ever reaching out to anyone. Ned was the best friend a person could have but it took ages for him to trust anyone enough to confide him or her with his problems and even then he made little of them, as if they were easily surmountable.

"I'm sorry, Bob," Ned said, his voice still a little ragged. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It's just..."

"It's just that you have to stop wanting to sort everything out all by yourself," Bob cut in.

His friend looked up at him, surprised.

"Stop trying to be Mr. Perfect, Ned," Bob went on, "Your friends won't think less of you even if you screw up sometimes. Guess what, they may even like you more if you show them you're human too."

His friend stared at him in awe and Bob chuckled as he rested his hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, there are some people out there who think you're some kind of superman! Heck, even I did once, until I began to see under that thick mask you wear."

"And when was that?" Ned finally managed to ask.

Bob sat on the floor, his back against the kitchen island.

"Many eons ago, my friend, when a certain group of Sleepysider's visited Happy Valley and you didn't manage to win the heart of a certain freckled-face, blonde-haired girl, because it already belonged to another sort of superhuman. Red haired, I might add."

To Bob's surprise, Ned started to laugh and slid to the floor, sitting by him.

"You're some piece of work, man!" Ned exclaimed, between laughs.

"What, am I wrong?"

"No, no you're not." Ned stared at his friend, grateful for his mere presence.

"When you realized Trixie was crazy about Jim, you were really disappointed. I guess it took someone who knew you pretty well to notice and I did. You got over it fast enough, but that got me to think that maybe you weren't as strong as you appeared." Bob sighed. "Somehow it made me feel a whole lot better about myself."

"That's funny, I always thought that clownish way you have of facing life was always a sort of masquerade too," Ned stated. "And that made me feel better too."

It was Bob's turn to laugh.

"Anyway, spill it out. About Dot, about Linnie, whatever..."

"Yeah, I guess I should."

And spill it out he did. Ned told his best friend about how he had always thought Dot was beautiful, but like everyone else he thought her also a little conceited. And he had never harbored any feelings for her until he had met her in their first semester at Drake. Knowing hardly anyone but each other, they found comfort in each other's company and eventually things began to grow more intimate between them. It had been a trying time for Dot, since she had just found out she would never be able to compete again and felt quite lost. As for him, it was nice to be with someone who understood his passion for sports and who seemed to have grown out of her old ways after everything she had gone through. But after becoming The Drakes lead singer, Dot seemed to have regained her old self confidence. The limelight fed her ego and she had begun to change, growing more and more demanding and less supportive. She had stopped watching his games, and she couldn't care less about his victories or defeats.

His parents had noticed her change too, and had told him about it. He didn't know what to say, so he tried to keep Dot away from his family. He knew this was no way to live but it was hard to face the fact he had invested two years of his life in a relationship that was going nowhere. And trying to make him jealous was her only answer to his trying to sort things out between them.

Barbara and Bob's arrival at Drake, his two lifelong friends, who happened to also know Dot quite well, had been his last hope of ever finding a way to change things. He had figured that maybe Barbara could befriend Dot and that that friendship would make his girlfriend change into the person he had once thought she was.

At that Bob had to laugh.

"You are a dreamer, man!"

"You can't blame me for trying," Ned sighed and let his head rest against the wall. "Anyway, after last night... It's over, Bob. I can't go on pretending I don't see what's right in front of me."

"And I take it your wake up call came all the way from the Ozarks..."

Ned chuckled.

"You do have a one track mind! Seriously, Bob, I don't know. I guess I have to finish something before I can start another. And right now, I need to sort out my situation with Dot," he hesitated, and then went on, in a lower tone of voice. "I guess if it wasn't for the way Dot has treated Linnie maybe I would have carried on with this... poor excuse for a relationship, as you put it... for a while longer. Or not, who knows? But I can't drag Linnie into this!"

Bob sighed and put his arm around his friend's shoulders.

"I guess it is a little too late for that, my friend!"


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

Linnie sighed, as she looked at the clock on the wall for the umpteenth time. It was a little past 2 PM and she needed to be back at the campus at 3 for the choir auditions in which she finally had decided to participate. And Margaret had promised to be back from lunch in time, but she hadn't shown up till now.

_Maybe she forgot_, Linnie thought, _But I really have to leave!_

Deciding it was better to go and tell Margaret she needed to be off, she locked up and put the "Be right back" sign on the door. She walked over to the back of the shop, where a narrow staircase led to the apartment upstairs. Linnie felt a little like a trespasser, but started climbing the stairs.

The door connecting to the Saunders' apartment was ajar and Linnie could hear voices coming from within. As she approached the narrow landing, she recognized Margaret and Joey's voices and they appeared to be having quite a heated argument. Hating the thought of walking in on a family dispute, Linnie knocked on the door and cleared her throat, trying to make them acknowledge her presence. But they never seemed to notice her. The loud voices came from a room at the end of a long hallway, which Linnie believed to be the kitchen. Standing on the landing, she didn't know whether to stay or leave, and as she decided on what to do, she couldn't help but to hear part of the argument.

"She's walking all over you, and you seem to be enjoying it," she heard Margaret say. "You have a gift and you are wasting it!"

"What I do with my life is my business, Maggie!" Joey retorted, with what Linnie interpreted as a little despair in his voice.

"NO!" Linnie was startled by Margaret's aggressiveness. "It's my business too! I gave up my dreams so you could have yours, and I'm not letting you waste them with some little tramp who is using you!"

"I know what you've done for me, Maggie! You don't have to remind me of it, each and every day. I was just doing her a favor. I like to write, she wanted to sing and it felt nice to do something for her. She's not a tramp, Maggie. She's just... confused, I guess!"

By now, Linnie had a pretty good idea of what they were talking about, but Margaret's following remark enlightened her even further. And even though she knew she should walk away, she seemed unable to move.

"Listen to yourself! Dot is using your talent and passing it for her own, and you say she's confused? What kind of loser are you turning into, Joey?"

A few minutes later, Linnie thanked the Heavens above for the instinct that had led her to rush down the stairs as soon as she heard Margaret's remark, because as soon as she got back behind the store's front desk, Joey stormed into the room, pale and obviously disturbed.

He stopped in his tracks as he saw Linnie, and she realized he was wondering whether or not she had heard their fight. Swallowing hard, Linnie put on her broadest smile and hoped her eyes wouldn't betray her.

"Oh, Joey, hi!" she said, trying to sound surprised and cheery. "I was just thinking of going upstairs. It's just that I really need to leave and I guess Margaret forgot about it."

"She must have... lost track of time, I guess," Joey said, avoiding Linnie's eyes. "I'll take care of the store for you, don't worry."

"Thanks, Joey," Linnie hesitated but she couldn't stop herself from saying, unable to overlook the troubled look on his face, "Are you ok? I mean, if you're not feeling well I'll wait for Margaret."

He gave her half a smile.

"No, I'm fine, only a little tired. Margaret will be down soon, anyway. You really should go."

"Ok," Linnie picked up her things and walked towards the door. And as she turned to close it behind her, she saw Joey sink onto the chair and bury his head in his hands.

Linnie's head was in turmoil as she walked down the street towards campus. There was a lot more to all of this than she had thought! So Dot had been passing Joey's songs as her own for almost two years? Sweet tempered as she was, Linnie couldn't help but to feel a little enraged. Dot knew Joey was crazy about her and was using him and lying to everyone. Even Ned, surely, because Linnie couldn't believe he knew anything about it. Being honest to the core it was very difficult for Linnie to understand how someone could act that way. After all, from what she'd been told, her lyrics were the only reason Dot was still in the band. Besides Dot didn't seem at all grateful for what Joey was doing for her. So why on Earth did he do it still? Surely he must have realized by now that doing it would not earn him her love.

The weight of the secret she was now unwillingly carrying was almost overwhelming. Her first impulse was to break it all out to Barbara, but it wasn't her secret to tell. She wasn't even supposed to know about it, so she must keep quiet.

Her resolve was quite shaken when she ran into Ned, Dot and Ken, the Drakes drummer and oldest member. Dot gazed at her with a smug smile and held on to Ned's arm. Linnie was so nervous she barely registered the way he seemed to tense under the girl's touch.

"Hi, Linnie," he said, as he discreetly got away from Dot's grip and walked towards her. "Is there something wrong? You're pale as paper."

Linnie managed to smile but avoided his peering eyes.

"I'm fine. Just a little nervous, I guess," she noticed the furious look on Dot's face and suddenly didn't feel frightened anymore. Why should she? She wouldn't let herself be bullied. As far as she was concerned, Dot was just a poor excuse for a human being, despite all her looks. "I've decided to audition for the choir, after all," she said, almost defiantly.

She noticed, not without some pride, that Dot's jaw dropped and Ned's face lit with a toothy grin.

"That's great!" Ken said, smiling at her, his blue eyes gleaming. "Do you mind if we watch?"

Linnie blushed.

"Well, I guess it would be nice to have a few familiar faces out there."

"But weren't you saying we had to rehearse?" Dot asked, coldly.

"No," Ken said slowly, turning to the blonde young woman. "Actually I said YOU had to rehearse!"

Dot turned beet red and Linnie noticed how she clutched her fists, obviously furious. And she looked even more enraged when Ned said, "Well, we will most certainly be there."

Linnie couldn't be happier than to escape Dot's murderous glances. She quickly strode towards the amphitheater where the auditions would take place. The events of the last hour had taken her mind off that particular topic but right now the jitters were coming back and her stomach was turning. Why on Earth had she decided to audition? Oh right, because neither Ned nor Barbara would shut up about it. And because deep down inside she wanted to know if she really was good enough.

* * *

_There, it's done!_ Linnie thought, as she sat down in the waiting room, her legs finally giving under her as they had threatened to do all afternoon.

She had never realized the auditions would be this demanding. The candidates were tested in their abilities to read music, their background as singers, their knowledge of music as well as their personal talents. Maybe that was the reason competition was so fierce! Most people didn't even try to audition, and if Linnie had been aware of the standards she wouldn't have either. Not that things had gone badly, but this was too much of a strain for her.

The initial group of candidates had been tested, probed and heard behind close doors, by the highest names in the Drake Music Department. Now, there were about twenty people left and only ten would make it to the public part of the audition. And a small part of her wished she wouldn't make it.

But when she heard Caroline Moore being announced as one of the finalists, the part of her that wasn't afraid smothered all the doubts she had and she felt very happy indeed.

* * *

Ned sat in the back of the room with Ken and Dot, who was in a really rotten mood. He could see Barbara and Bob seating a few rows in front of them. The amphitheater was quite crowded, since the choir auditions were always quite an event. The Drake Choir had won several interstate competitions along the years and the standards were so high most people didn't even dare try for it. So, it was always quite a show.

He felt his heart pumping loudly and feared Dot would hear it. Not as much as he once had, though. Things were very cold between them and he knew it was just a matter of time until everything was over. He just hoped she wouldn't think Linnie was to blame, when he finally brought himself to break up with her.

But now he didn't want to think about it. He was really anxious to watch Linnie perform and when he finally saw her walking on stage, with some other contestants, his heart skipped a beat. She looked really fragile and small, in the big auditorium.

This was the last stage of the audition in which the candidates would interpret a theme of their choice _a capella_. There were about ten contestants left on stage. But thankfully Linnie was the third candidate to perform, or Ned believed he would have a heart attack.

When he heard one of the members of the jury call Caroline Moore, he held his breath and watched as Linnie walked to the center of the stage. Her eyes were downcast, and he felt how nervous she was just by looking at her. Her petite figure seemed so out of place standing alone on the stage, he feared he had somehow made a mistake in forcing her to do this. But then he remembered how her voice sounded and that she had made it this far, and he was reassured. That was until he was completely floored by her amazing voice, as it resounded in the enormous room.

The auditorium went completely silent as Linnie began singing _Somewhere Over the Rainbow_. The familiar song took a whole new dimension in her crystal clear voice. It came so naturally to her that everyone forgot they had heard it millions of times before. And she didn't look small or fragile anymore. She seemed transfigured, as she closed her eyes and let emotion take over her.

When the song ended, there was a moment of complete silence before the hall erupted in a thunder of clapping and cheering. Casting a sideways glance at Dot, he saw her sitting there with her mouth hanging open, apparently still unable to believe what she had just witnessed.

"Wow!" Ken said to Ned, as he kept on clapping. "She's amazing!"

"She most certainly is," said Barbara, coming up the aisle to meet them, as the crowd started to settle down and another candidate was called. "I never thought she would be this great, though. She was so nervous!"

"That's what I call singing!" Ken stated. "Where has she been hiding all this long?"

"Maybe you should ask her to sing with the Drakes," Barbara told him, with a mischievous look in her eyes.

"Maybe we should," Ken retorted, winking at her.

Ned braced himself for what was to come. He knew Barbara had said it on purpose to make Dot mad. And mad she was!

"Oh, is that so? I didn't know you needed a singer!" she exclaimed, earning herself a few angry glances from the people around them.

"Well, you really should pay more attention in rehearsals," Ken shot back at her.

Dot got up, her fists clenched in anger and said, before leaving the room, "If you think that ridiculous hillbilly is good enough to sing with you then maybe you should get someone else to write for you too!"

Ken sighed. "It's not like I haven't tried," he mumbled.

Taking a deep breath, Ned decided this was the time to talk to Dot. She would probably be alone, which was a rare occurrence and he couldn't loose this opportunity. In fact, she was standing just outside the door, apparently waiting to see if he'd follow her. Her face lit up as she saw him.

"Oh, Ned! I'm so glad you're here!" she said, as she drew her arms around his neck.

Ned gulped and grabbed her arms, gently but firmly pushing her away from him. She gave him a puzzled look.

"We need to talk, Dot," he said, his voice coming a little hoarse.

Immediately, she assumed a defensive stance. Her eyes grew colder and she held her head high.

"Oh, do we?" she said, softly.

He sighed. He knew enough of her to know this wouldn't be easy.

"I suppose we'll be talking about that girl once more," Dot continued, in a mocking tone. "All right, I shouldn't have called her a hillbilly..."

"This has nothing to do with Linnie!" Ned snapped, suddenly feeling very tired. Dot stared at him in complete awe. He didn't usually speak to her like this, not even when they argued. And she realized all of the sudden this time it was serious.

"Look, Dot, this isn't working anymore. I'm sick and tired of pretending everything is fine!" He said, looking her straight in the eye. "We had fun, we enjoyed each other's company but that's all changed now. We both know it. I'm sorry to say it, but it's time we call it quits before we can't stand the sight of each other. Before we can't even be friends!"

"I see," she said, growing pale, "Your friends have won after all."

"That's what I'm talking about, Dot!" he exclaimed. "No one has won anything. This has nothing to do with anyone but you or me! The problem is we have nothing to do with each other anymore. You don't like my friends, you're not interested in what I like or want, and frankly, I no longer give a damn about it! I simply want to move on. Why are we torturing each other?"

"Oh, so now I've been torturing you?"

"No! I mean, yes... oh! God damn it, Dot," Ned took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his thick brown hair. "Can you honestly say you've been happy with me for the past months?"

Dot avoided his eyes and didn't answer.

"Why should we be miserable, Dot? Let's just admit it's not working anymore and go on with our lives."

She finally looked up at him, her eyes as cold as ice and said, "Fine! If that's the way you want it," and then she added, wanting to hurt him. "And you're right, I never did like your friends!"

Turning on her heels, Dot trod down the hall, without another word.

When she finally disappeared from sight, Ned let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding and sat on the cold floor, his back pressed against the brick covered wall. It was over.


End file.
